SECTIONS:

Defender Picks

Contact! Propellor Spins Out New Class

Posted
Thursday, August 20th, 2015

By Christopher Staudinger

Broadmoor-based Propeller incubator has selected twenty-eight local ventures to participate in its annual accelerator program. It’s the largest group that the non-profit has undertaken in the program, which will concentrate on issues of food security, water management, healthcare, and educational equity in the region. Over the course of three months, the young companies and start-ups will receive hands-on mentorship, office space, and other support to turn their early-stage ideas into viable business models.

Among the 28 groups http://gopropeller.org/news/1300/ in the accelerator program, Burnell Colton of the 9th Ward Market will get help provididing Lower 9th Ward residents with a long-awaited grocery store, along with a barber shop, beauty salon and sweet shop. Wendy Billiot, the Bayou Woman, will continue educating people about Louisiana’s land loss catastrophe with her namesake guiding outfit, Bayou Woman Adventure. And Rishikesh Chavan and Marshneil Chavan will develop an app called mySickle Health that helps people living with sickle cell disease access health options and improve their treatment.

The incubator is hopeful with this year’s cohort, which they say were chosen from the most competitive applicant pool to date. Their 60 Alumni Ventures have collectively generated $24 million in revenue and financing and created over 120 jobs for New Orleanians, according to a press release by the non-profit, which “drives social, environmental, and economic impact in New Orleans by incubating ventures that have the potential to solve our city’s most pressing issues.”

“This cohort shows tremendous promise to address the challenges our city faces in food, water, health, and education. Combined, their success will make New Orleans a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable city,” said Propeller Executive Director, Andrea Chen.

The program culminates in a Demo Day on December 15th. The most promising ideas will then be invited into Propeller’s Growth Accelerator that runs from February to June and